Multiple shake-board splitting method

ABSTRACT

A plurality of parallel froes form the bottom of a chamber in a frame for receiving a block to be split into shake-boards. The frame guides a head reciprocable by a hydraulic ram downward against the upper end of the block to force its lower end against the froes for splitting. The froes supported on the upper ends of swingable legs can spread as the froes penetrate the block to compensate for the kerfs formed by the froes between the shake boards into which the block is split.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,872,903 Carr 1 1 Mar. 25, 1975 1 MULTIPLE SHAKE-BOARD SPLITTING 2,851,072 9/1958. Gerjetset 111. .4 144/193 A METHOD FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [76] Inventor: Charles E. Carr, 954 N. N St., 233,927 5/1961 Australia .f. 144/193 A Aberdeen, Wash. 98520 311,359 3/1919 Germany 144/193 R 7 Filed 1974 Primary Examiner-Donald R. Sc'hran [21] Appl. No.: 436,510 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Robert W. Beach Related U.S. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 248,235, April 27, 1972, Pat. [57] ABSTRACT No. 3,802,473. A plurahty of parallel froes form the bottom of a chamber in a frame for receiving a block to be split 52 us. (:1. 144/309 R, 144/193 R into Shake-beards The frame guides 11 head reciproca- [51] Int. Cl. B271 7/00 ble y hydraulic ram downward against the pp [58] Field of Search 144/193 R, 193 A, 192, end of the block to force its lower end against the 144/309 R froes for splitting The froes supported on the upper ends of swingable. legs can spread as the trees pene- [5 References Cited trate the block to compensate for the kerfs formed by UNITED STATES PATENTS the froes between the shake boards into which the block is split. 2,514,915 7/1950 Von Der Werth 144/193 R 2,704,093 3 1955 Brown 144/193 A 1 Clai 9 Drawing Figures mar-1 'IEUHAR251975 sum 1 0F 6 PATENTED MAR 2 5 I975 SHEET 3 OF 6 MULTIPLE SHAKE-BOARD SPLITTING METHOD This application is a division of my application Ser.

No. 248,235, filed Apr. 27, 1972 for Multiple Shake Board Splitter, issued as US. Pat. No. 3,802,473.

The method of the present invention facilitates the splitting of a block into shake-boards which can be re sawn to form resawn shakes or resplit to form split shakes.

For many years shakes for roofing and siding have been split one at a time by hand. More recently shakesplitting machines have been used by which shakeboards for resawing or finished shakes have been split one at a time. Sawn shingles are sawn one at a time from a shingle block.

The principal object of the present invention is to split a block into a plurality of shake-boards in a single pass of the block and splitting froes and to accomplish such operation mechanically.

A further object is to provide such a shake-splitting method in which a block can be set easily in relationship to splitting froes to produce the best shake-boards.

Another object is to provide for automatic removal of split shake-boards from the splitting machine.

By use of a one-pass mechanical shake-splitting machine it is an object to expedite the splitting of shakeboards from a block, to reduce the labor required to effect such splitting and to produce shake-boards which are more uniform and of better quality.

FIG. 1 is a plan of a representative arrangement of two single-pass shake-splitting machines for performing the method according to the present invention which can be operated by a single splitterman.

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the shake-splitting machine, parts being broken away, and FIG. 3 is a side elevation of such machine.

FIG. 4 is a vertical section through the machine taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a detail top perspective of a portion of a froe and its support showing the parts in exploded relationship.

FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are enlarged side elevations of the lower portion of the shake-splitting machine showing parts in different positional relationships and having parts broken away.

Two shake-splitting machines for performing the method of the present invention can, for example, be arranged at opposite sides of a feed table 2 in front of which a splitterman S stands, as shown in FIG. 1. Blocks B to be split into shake-boards are supplied to the feed table 2 by a conveyor 3. The splitterman will grasp each block, examine it to determine the position in which it should be placed to be split into the best shake-boards SB and slide it into one or the other of the shake-board splitting machines 1 in such position. Shake-boards SB split from such blocks will fall onto a discharge conveyor belt 4 which will carry the shakeboards away from the machine automatically to be stored or to be resawn into shakes.

As shown best in FIG. 4, a block B is slid by the splitterman from the feed table 2 across an apron 5 into the block-receiving chamber of the frame 6. In that position the lower end of the block B is resting on the splitting edges of a plurality of froes 7. The presser head 8 is located above the block in the upper end of the block-receiving cavity. Such presser head is mounted on the lower end of piston rod 9 of a hydraulic ram 10.

Such ram is mounted on the upper portion 11 of the machine frame.

Vertical reciprocation of the presser head 8 by the hydraulic ram 10 is effected by controlling the supply of hydraulic liquid to the ram by valve 12 shown in FIG. 2. Such valve is operated by swinging bell crank 14 to reciprocate the valve stem 13. The bell crank 14 has an upright arm connected by a link to the valve stem 13. The generally horizontal arm of such bell crank is connected to the actuating rod 15 guided for vertical reciprocation relative to the frame 6. Such rod is reciprocated by a projection 16 carried by the presser head 8 for engagement with upper and lower nuts or set collars 17 and 18 adjustable along the rod 15.

The upper end of the reciprocating rod 15 is received in a friction or holding device 19 which will normally hold the actuating rod 15 in the position to which it has been adjusted. To split the block the actuating rod is voluntarily reciprocated by swinging lever 20 connected by pivot 21 to the lower end of the rod. Such lever is swung by the splitterman stepping on the end 22 of the lever.

When a block B has been placed in the splitter by the splitterman in the position shown in FIG. 4, the splitterman will step on the end 22 of lever 20 to reciprocate actuating rod 15 upward from the position shown in FIG. 2. Such upward movement of the actuating rod will swing bell crank 14 to reciprocate the stem 13 of valve 12 to the right. Such movement of the valve stem will effect a supply of liquid under pressure to the upper end of ram 10 so that the presser head 8 will be forced downward, first into engagement with the upper end of the block B and then for driving the block through the group of froes 7 until it has reached the broken-line position of FIG. 2, at which time the block will have been split into shake-boards completely severed from each other.

As the presser head 8 approaches the broken-line position of FIG. 2 or the solid line position of FIG. 7, arm 16 projecting from it will engage the nut or collar 18 on the actuating rod 15 and shift this actuating rod downward for swinging bell crank 14 to move the valve stem 13 to the left. Movement in this direction will be sufficient, not only to cut off the supply of liquid under pressure to the upper end of the ram 10, but also to connect the supply of liquid under pressure to the lower end of the ram and provide for discharge of liquid from the upper end of the ram. The ram will then raise the presser head back to the solid-line position of FIG. 2, at which time the arm 16 carried by it will engage the nut or collar 17 to raise the actuating rod 15 sufficiently to swing bell crank 14 for shifting the valve stem 13 to the right a sufficient distance to center such stem and thereby to cut off the supply of liquid under pressure, both to the lower end and to the upper end of ram 10 for bringing the presser head to a stop in preparation for commencement of the next splitting operation initiated by depressing the end 22 of lever 20 as described above.

As shown best in FIG. 5, each end of each of the froes 7 has an end projection 24 of a size to slide edgewise into an upwardly opening slot 25 in the upper end of a swinging leg 26. The lower end of each such leg is mounted by a pivot pin 27, shown in FIG. 3, extending through a bore 28 in the lower end of the leg. The legs supporting opposite ends of each froe are spaced apart sufficiently to accommodate between them the conveyor belt 4 for removing the shake-boards.

As shown in FIG.-6 the splitting edges of the froes 7 engage the end of block B along parallel lines. As the block is pushed endwise against the froes, the tapered cutting edges penetrate the block. Sincesuch cutting edges effect a splitting action on the block rather than a sawing action, no wood is removed from the block. Consequently it is necessary for the split surfaces of the block on each side of a froe to separate a distance equal to the thickness of the froe in order for the froe to continue to enter the block.

Because such spreading action is cumulative across the width of the block, the outer elements of the block transversely of the froes must separate a distance equal to the combined thickness of all the froes. In order for each froe at opposite sides of the center froe or froes to remain in registration with their respective locations of split, therefore, the froes must be spread from the relationship shown in FIG. 6 to that shown in FIG. 7 between the time of initial penetration of the splitting edges of the froes into the block end and penetration of the froes into the block to their locations of maximum thickness. Mounting of the froes on the swinging upper ends of the legs 26, as mentioned previously, enables such spreading action of the froes to occur.

In order to position the froes 7 in the proper contracted relationship for initial engagement by the end of a block B to split it into shake-boards of the desired thickness, mechanism is provided to locate the froes in such contracted relationship. Such mechanism includes gauging stop blocks 29 mounted on the several legs in staggered relationship as shown in FIG. 6. In order to enable the position of each froe to be adjusted individually relative to the adjacent froes, a spacer screw 30 is threaded in each gauge stop block and projects from its stop block transversely of the lengths of the legs 26 for abutment with an adjacent stop block. Each spacer screw has a lock nut that can be tightened against the stop block in which the spacer screw is threaded to hold such screw in any desired adjusted relationship.

As is evident from FIG. 6 the spacer screws 30 will only limit approach movement of the froes 7. In order to assure that the froes are held in their contracted relationship when a block B is placed on them, therefore, resilient contracting means are provided to press the froe-supporting legs 26 together. Such contracting means includes presser rods 31 connected by pivots 32 to brackets carried by the outer legs 26 at opposite sides of the froe assembly. These rods are urged yieldingly toward each other by pneumatic jacks 33.

In order to be able to effect spreading of the froes 7 without pressing a block B against their splitting edges, mechanical spreading means for the legs 26 are provided. Such spreading means include blocks 34 mounted in staggered relationship on the legs in addition to blocks 29. Each of such blocks is apertured to receive slidably through it a bolt 35 having its length extending transversely of the length of the legs 26. The threaded end of such bolt is anchored by being screwed into a block adjacent to the block through which it extends slidably, and such threaded end is secured in place by a lock nut. A compression spring 36 encircles each bolt 35 and its opposite ends react between the block through which the bolt extends slidably and the anchored end of such bolt. The springs 36 will urge all adjacent froe-supporting legs resiliently away from each other. I v

In the operation of splitting a block B into shakeboards, the froes 7 will be held initially in the inwardly and upwardly convergent contracted relationship shown in FIG. 6 by the action of the pneumatic jacks 33 on the rods 31. As the ram head 8 bears against the upper end of the block and forces it downward so that the froes penetrate the block, the shake-boards SB being split, and consequently the froes 7, will be wedged apart, decreasing their degree of convergence into the spread relationship shown in FIG. 7. The travel of the ram head is sufficient, as shown in FIG. 7, to push the major portion of the length of the split shakeboards endwise down through the spaces between the froes so that the shake-boards will be completely severed from each other.

When the presser head 8 has been moved downward to its limiting position shown in broken lines in FIG. 2 and in solid lines in FIG. 7, the force exerted by the pneumatic jacks 33 may be reversed to pull rods 31 away from each other if the shake-boards have not passed completely down through the froe assembly. The outer legs 26 will thus be spread farther and the springs 36 will spread the adjacent froes away from each other. Such relative spreading will increase the spacing between all adjacent froes to a distance greater than the thickness of the shake-boards SB being split. so that such shake-boards completely severed from each other will fall freely between the froes and be deposited on the discharge conveyor 4.

The reversal of the pneumatic jacks 33 for spreading the froes can be coordinated with the upward re'traction of the presser head 8 by ram 10. When the presser head has reached its upper limiting position, the pneumatic jacks 33 may be actuated simultaneously to press 1 rods 31 toward each other again for movement of the froes 7 into the contracted relationship shown in FIG. 6 for placing on them the next block B to be split. The splitting machine will then remain in such condition until the splitterman again presses the foot pedal 22 to initiate a succeeding block-splitting operation of the machine.

The spacer screws 30 of gauge stop blocks 29 will normally be set for splitting of shake boards of minimum thickness such as seven-eighths of an inch. It may be desirable to utilize the shake-board splitting machine to split shake-boards from which relatively thick shakes can be resawn. Such thick shake-boards may, for example, be 1% inches in thickness. It is desirable to be able to adjust the shake-board splitting machine quickly for splitting such thicker shake-boards at will. Such adjustment of the machine can be accomplished by use of the mechanism shown in operative condition in FIGS. 8 and 9. The adjusting mechanism cooperates with the gauge stop blocks 29 to interrupt their contracting movement prior to engagement of the spacer screws 30 with adjacent stop blocks.

The control mechanism for effecting splitting of a block B into relatively thick shake-boards includes the double-stepped gauge plate 37 having stop bolts 38 projecting from its steps in positions for engagement by the stop blocks 29 when the stepped gauge plate is in the operative position of FIGS. 8 and 9. Such gauge plate has an aperture through its central portion through which a guide rod 40 extends on which the gauge plate is slidable.

Sliding of the gauge plate between the position shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 and the position shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 is effected by a reciprocable rod 41 having a clevis end embracing a lug 42 projecting laterally from the gauge plate 37. The bifurcations of the clevis and lug 42 are connected together by a pivot pin 43. Reciprocation of the rod 41 is effected by a fluid pressure cylinder 44 the upper end of which has a clevis 45 secured to the machine frame by a pivot pin 46.

When the stepped gauge plate is raised by contraction of the jack 44 to the position shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the abutment bolts 38 have been moved out of registry with the respective gauge stop blocks 29. When the jack 44 is extended, however, the gauge plate is slid downward so that its abutment bolts 38 are disposed in the path of swing of the stop plates 29 as the jacks 33 push the rods 31 inwardly to move the froes 7 into contracted position. Consequently, contracting movement of the froes will be terminated in the positions shown in FIG. 8 by abutment of the blocks 29 against the bolts 38 instead of the froes moving into the more contracted position shown in FIG. 6.

When a block B is placed on the froes 7 and forced downward by the presser head 8, the froes will be forced apart from the position shown in FIG. 8 to the position of FIG. 9. When the presser head has reached its lower limiting position as shown in this figure, the force of jacks 33 can then be reversed to swing the outer legs 26 still farther outward. The springs 36 again will move the intermediate froes apart as explained in connection with FIG. 7, so that the shake-boards will be freed to drop readily between the froes onto the discharge conveyor 4.

While the fluid pressure jacks '33 for contracting the group of froes are shown in FIG. 3 as being supported in substantially horizontal positions by outriggerscarried by frame members 47, the block-splitting machine can be made more compact by connecting shorter rods 31 to long upright arms of bell cranks mounted on the frame 6 which are swung by upright fluid pressure jacks engaging relatively short, generally horizontal arms of such bell crank.

In operating the presser head 8 to press the block B for splitting by the froes 7 from the position of FIG. 6 to the position of FIG. 7 or from the position of FIG. 8 to the position of FIG. 9, it may be found that the spreading of the upper ends of the split shakeboards as the froes approach such upper ends will be deterred by engagement of such shake-board upper ends with the presser head. In such event the resistance of the presser head to spreading of the upper ends of the shakeboards can be removed by relieving the downward pressure of the presser head on the upper end of the shake-boards one or more times during the full downward stroke of the presser head and then resuming the downward pressure. Alternatively, the lower surface of the presser head 8 could be made of antifriction character, such as by being provided with antifriction roller or ball means.

I claim:

I. The method of splitting substantially an entire block into shake-boards which comprises forming all the shake-boards substantially simultaneously by placing the block with the length of its grain upright in a predetermined position relative to a plurality of froes in substantially parallel horizontal relationship beneath the lower end of the block, pushing the block downward from such predetermined block position and against the splitting edges of the froes and thereby splitting the entire block substantially simultaneously into shake-boards, and spreading the froes apart horizon,- tally relative to each other to free the split-apart shakeboards between the froes for falling past the froes while remaining in substantially parallel relationship to each other for clearing the shake-boards: from such predetermined block position for reception of the next block to be split. 

1. The method of splitting substantially an entire block into shake-boards which comprises forming all the shake-boards substantially simultaneously by placing the block with the length of its grain upright in a predetermined position relative to a plurality of froes in substantially parallel horizontal relationship beneath the lower end of the block, pushing the block downward from such predetermined block position and against the splitting edges of the froes and thereby splitting the entire block substantially simultaneously into shake-boards, and spreading the froes apart horizontally relative to each other to free the split-apart shake-boards between the froes for falling past the froes while remaining in substantially parallel relationship to each other for clearing the shake-boards from such predetermined block position for reception of the next block to be split. 